Wilton Lopez set up to stabilize Phillies bullpen?
If you look at the peripherals, there aren't many relief pitchers more ideal for the Phillies than Astros righthander Wilton Lopez. He strikes batters out (7.3 per nine innings last season), does not walk any (1.1 BB/9) and has one of the better ground ball rates int he league (1.22 per flyball last year, nearly a half a ground ball better than the league average).
Wilton Lopez set up to stabilize Phillies bullpen?
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
If you look at the peripherals, there aren't many relief pitchers more ideal for the Phillies than Astros righthander Wilton Lopez. He strikes batters out (7.3 per nine innings last season), does not walk any (1.1 BB/9) and has one of the better ground ball rates int he league (1.22 per flyball last year, nearly a half a ground ball better than the league average).
Lopez is also 29 years old and under club control for the next three seasons, so you can understand why, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, the Phillies have finalized a deal to acquire the right-hander.
The Phillies lost 12 games in which they carried a lead into the eighth inning. They finished seven games behind St. Louis for the second Wild Card spot in the NL. In 2011, they lost 5 games in which they carried a lead into the eighth inning. You do the math.
Lopez recorded 10 saves and nine holds with three blown saves last season. He allowed 32 percent of his inherited runners to score, which is slightly above league average, although a drastic improvement over the 24-of-44 mark that the triumvirate of Michael Schwimer, Josh Lindblom and Chad Qualls combined to surrender.
Details on the move are still slim. A Sebastian Valle for Lopez deal would make sense for both sides, but that is just speculation. We will update as we get them. But if Lopez is indeed in the fold, it will give the Phillies a tremendous boost in the eighth inning, where they struggled mightily last season.
There is no way I would trade a top catching prospect for a RELIEF pitcher! Why not trade a good catching prospect for a good 3b, 2b, or ss prospect? Good catchers are hard to find. There is no guarantee on Joseph.— carlosbeltran- Sorta depends on the players involved, and on the strengths, weaknesses and needs of the teams, doesn't it? Valle is a very good prospect, but Joseph is probably a ways ahead of him. Plus, Cameron Rupp might turn out to be the best of the three. Lopez is a very good RP who would fill a big hole for the Phillies. Saying that you would never trade a top catching prospect for any RP under any circumstances tells me that you're probably way better at your current job than you would be as a GM.
— 1980 - Great move. Joseph is the better prospect and now they'll have more $$ to grab the big stick from TX no one is talking about. That's a typical Amaro move while we're all sitting on Upton.— athousandgods
- Valle is just speculation at this point. That could be way off and several minor leaguers could be going to Houston to get this guy.— s
- didnt know about quintero; saw Lopez pitch last year and like him..thogh he's going to have to get accustomed to pitching in front of filled seats.— jim715
- jim35 has horrible reading comprehension.— CoettaGarner25
- I love that he throws strikes as much as anything. In the past three seasons, he's issued just 31 walks (six intentional) in 204 1/3 innings pitched.— PhightinPhil
- Lots of strikes, lots of ground balls, and very few walks. He should be good for CBP. He also closed after Myers was traded so he's an option when Papelbon can't go.
I wonder if any of the young Phillies relievers are going to Houston as part of this trade.— s - Rosenberg, Schwimer, Savery all seem like they could easily be thrown in as part of a deal like this. You just hope the Astros didn't convince Amaro to give them Ruf as their DH in their new AL alignment. — s
- With Chooch's supension, injury and age, trading a young catcher doesn't make any sense, when the other options right now are the soon to be 33 year ol Eric Kratz with only 60 games of ML service and Humberto Quintero.— EL Zorro
- They also have Lerud at AAA who played a few games late this year. If Valle goes Joseph is still around but probably further away than Valle is. Rupp is too far away at this point but I agree with some that he could turn out to be the best catcher in the system. My guess is Amaro has Schneider's number on speed dial. Valle is just speculation at this point. If I had to pick a catcher to call up today I'd take Valle over Joseph but you keep hearing Joseph has more upside ... maybe it's him they hyped up to trade. — s
- The Astros have former #1 pick Jason Castro, plus another young catcher in Carlos Corporan, who hit .289 in AAA last year while gunning down 44% would be stealers with a .998 FP.— EL Zorro
- Joseph didn't hit pretty well after coming here and had BA around the Mencoza line in the Arizona FL. I think he's at least two years away. Rupp was at Class A, so he's farther away. I won't trade Valle just yet. Lerud just offers catching depth at AAA. Quintero is just a journeyman catcher, demoted last year to AAA.— EL Zorro
- Nice move, but I'd like to see them add two or more relievers because they need the insurance. Remember when they added Chad Qualls and then they said we're all set for 2012?— Freedom Fries
